How to Use AI to Create Images: A Practical Guide
Using AI to create images is straightforward: you describe what you want in text, and the tool generates the image within seconds. The main tools are DALL·E (OpenAI), Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion. Each has its strengths. You need no technical skills to get started. You just need to know what to ask for.
But here’s the real problem: most executives and marketing teams test these tools for five minutes, get a mediocre result, and conclude they’re useless. Wrong conclusion. The problem isn’t the tool. It’s how you talk to it.
Why This Matters Even If You’re Not a Designer
Your marketing team is waiting on a visual for a campaign. The design agency responds in three days. The meeting is tomorrow.
Or you’re launching an offer in Morocco, Belgium, or France, and you need localized visuals quickly, without blowing the budget.
This is exactly the type of situation where AI image creation changes the equation. Not to replace an art director. To unblock a concrete situation.
LG Morocco just launched an entire campaign, “Life’s Good M3ak,” centered on human relationships and artificial intelligence. This is no longer a topic for tech enthusiasts. It’s operational marketing.
The 4 Main Tools
DALL·E (OpenAI)
You type your description, you get an image. Simple interface, clean results, ideal for corporate visuals or presentation illustrations. Access conditions and pricing evolve regularly: check the OpenAI website directly for current terms.
Midjourney
The industry standard for artistic quality. Works via Discord. The learning curve is slightly steeper, but the results are visually superior for anything touching realistic photography or refined aesthetics. Monthly subscription required.
Stable Diffusion
The open-source option. You can install it on your own servers, which resolves data confidentiality concerns. More technical to configure, but it’s the only solution that gives you complete control over your images and data. For companies with compliance constraints, it’s often the right choice.
Adobe Firefly
Integrated directly into Photoshop and Adobe tools. If your teams already work within the Adobe ecosystem, this is the shortest path. Adobe communicates an orientation toward commercial use, but read the current terms of service before any publication.
5 Steps to Get a Good Result
Step 1: Describe the Main Subject
Start with what you want to see. “An executive in a meeting,” “A commercial port at sunset,” “A diverse team around a table.” Simple, direct.
Step 2: Add the Visual Style
The tool doesn’t know whether you want a realistic photo, an illustration, a 3D render, or a watercolor. Specify it. “Photographic style, natural light” or “vector illustration, blue and white tones” changes everything about the result.
Step 3: Specify Format and Use
Square format for Instagram, horizontal for a web banner, vertical for a poster. Say so. “16:9 format, for a PowerPoint presentation” guides the tool toward what you actually need.
Step 4: Iterate, Don’t Give Up
The first result is rarely the right one. That’s normal. Refine your description. Add “no text in the image,” “no visible hands” (hands are still a weak point for these tools), “clean background.” Each iteration brings you closer to the result.
Step 5: Check Before Publishing
Look at the details. Faces, hands, background text. AI sometimes generates anomalies you don’t notice at first glance. A published visual with six fingers on a hand gets noticed.
This is also the moment to check usage rights. Each tool has its own commercial conditions, which vary by subscription level and evolve over time. Read them before publishing, regardless of the platform chosen.
I’ve built a methodological framework to help executive teams structure their approach to AI tools, including image creation. Download the AI Board Pack 2026.
Pitfalls to Avoid
First pitfall: pasting AI-generated images without verification into official materials. An annual report, a commercial proposal, a board presentation. Take the time to look.
Second pitfall: using these tools for images of real people or situations that could mislead. This is a matter of compliance and ethics, not just taste.
Third pitfall: ignoring the data question. According to CIO Mag, 42% of enterprise AI users in Morocco import complete documents into uncontrolled external tools. For images, the risk is different but real: don’t submit confidential visuals (product plans, internal documents) to cloud tools without reading the terms of use.
On this point, I already addressed the question of choosing the right tools for your context in my guide on which AI to use in business. The logic is the same here.
What This Changes Concretely for Your Organization
Your marketing teams can produce visual variants for A/B testing without waiting for an agency. Your HR teams can illustrate job offers or training materials. Your sales teams can personalize presentations with visuals adapted to each client.
This isn’t a question of creative budget. It’s a question of execution speed.
Building competency on these tools is fast for a motivated employee. As I explained in my guide on AI training, the real investment isn’t in the tool, it’s in learning how to formulate requests properly.
If you want to structure the integration of these tools within your teams, request a free diagnostic. We look together at what’s applicable in your context, without theory.
FAQ
Is AI image creation free?
Some tools offer limited free access, others are paid from the start. Midjourney requires a monthly subscription. Stable Diffusion is free if you install it yourself, but requires technical resources. For DALL·E and Adobe Firefly, check the official sites directly for current pricing conditions, which evolve regularly.
Can these images be used commercially?
It depends on the tool and your subscription level. Each platform has its own conditions, which can evolve. Read the terms of use before any commercial publication, regardless of the platform.
Do you need to be a graphic designer to use these tools?
No. The key skill is knowing how to precisely describe what you want. That’s a writing skill, not a technical one. Any employee can learn to get good results with practice.
What’s the difference between DALL·E and Midjourney?
DALL·E is generally more accessible in terms of onboarding. Midjourney produces visually more sophisticated results, particularly for artistic styles and realistic photography. For standard corporate use, DALL·E is often sufficient. For high-quality campaign visuals, Midjourney is often preferred.
Do these tools work in French?
Yes. DALL·E and Adobe Firefly understand descriptions in French. Midjourney works better in English but accepts French. For optimal results on Midjourney, English remains recommended.